Agilent Technologies have announced the release of its enhanced 8700 LDIR Chemical Imaging System, which has been further optimised for the analysis of microplastics in environmental samples. This newly improved package includes Clarity 1.5 software: a significant upgrade of the speed of analysis, spectral acquisition, transformation and library matching, and that provides automated workflows for direct analysis of microplastics on a filter substrate. An innovative, redesigned sample holder allows the on-filter sample to be presented to the instrument more easily and consistently.
The prevalence of microplastics in the environment is a growing concern worldwide, prompting greater scrutiny from governments and increased monitoring of rivers and oceans by environmental agencies. Adequately assessing the prevalence of microplastics in the environment requires researchers to determine the size, shape and chemical identity of plastic particles in a sample. As smaller particles are thought to be the most biologically relevant, this analysis must extend to particles on the micron scale.
